Ramon

Sold my 2006 IS 350 and leased a 2014 GS 350 F-Sport. It was a tough choice. Looked at the 5 series as well as the Cadillac CTS V-Sport. I liked the exterior styling of the 5 the best, interior of the GS and the performance of the V-Sport. Ultimately, the familiarity and service of Lexus is what tipped my decision in the GS's favor. Car gets delivered on Monday, and I cannot wait! Until then I'll be sporting my Ford Focus hatch back company car.

Details:
Ultra White 2014 GS 350 F-Sport with black interior and the dark chrome wheels (stickered at almost exactly 60k)
36 Month lease
$2500 down
15,000 miles/year
$598/month

I'm hoping the unicorn that is the GS-F will become reality by the time this lease is up.

Monday can't come soon enough. I think this is the first time in my life I've ever looked forward to a Monday that wasn't a holiday.

SW17LS

Congrats! Welcome to the GS side...

You will really like the car. The IS is a great car, but the GS is a big upgrade. It's bigger, has more presence on the road, feels more solid. You won't have any of the cost cutting issues you took issue with on the 3IS either.

Ramon

I'm very happy with the interior fit/finish and quality of materials compared to the 3IS. The GS feels several tiers above the IS in that regard. I was hoping to hang on to my 2IS for another couple years and get a GS-F, but I made the mistake of taking it to a shop to get some repairs done, and they ended up messing up other things in the processes. Repeated visits to that shop (6 or 7) and they were unable to correct the problems they caused. Long story short, they offered to buy the car off me at a pretty favorable price. More than I'd have been able to get selling the car myself much less trading it in.

I was also very happy with the handling. I test drove a 5 series and was very surprised that I felt the GS felt more planted and stable. I don't know if it's the chassis or the fact that the GS produces far less torque, but the end result was, taking a nice line through a long sweeping on ramp was more rewarding in the GS.

SW17LS

When opportunity knocks!

The 5 series is not as sharp or crisp as the GS. it has a lot to do with steering, softer springs, and the 5 being based on the 7 series platform. The GS is really a bigger IS platform wise while the 5 series is a smaller 7 and it shows.

FishBike

I had the same impression after test driving the GS and the 5-Series... the 4GS is a better handling, more fun to drive car.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Congrats you will enjoy this car, I looked at the BMW but the interior was not enough for me I liked the exterior as well including the M-Sport package.

SW17LS

The interior is better for 2014, but it needs the upgrade package and the multi contour seats IMHO which drives cost up.

jjscsix

I have a 2012 BMW 550 and a 2014 GS. If the GS had the 550 engine it would be the perfect car. There are pluses and minuses to both cars. The GS has a more refined feel. The BMW more like it is carved from one piece of granite. Overall I actually think the GS is the better driver. Why they did not put the full bore LS engine in the GS is a mystery to me.

SW17LS

Because they had the LS engine in e GS for 15 years and nobody bought it

jjscsix

Correction, they had a detuned LS engine in the last version that was almost no faster than the direct injected six. That is why I said the "full bore" version.

Ramon

Yeah, I remember a lot of people in the forum were waiting for the GS 460 to be released only to be disappointed that it was detuned to the point that it was thirstier than the 350 but didn't really outperform it.

ItzFilyO

That new toys feeling!

SW17LS

I'd like an 8 too, but we have to realize that the GS is not a huge selling car in the US. It does sell well worldwide. But, the only market where there might be a demand for a V8 is here, and that demand is questionable and shrinking. A GSF Halo car is one thing, but I don't think we will ever see an ordinary GS with a V8 option again

Ramon

I just hope that if they do it, they do it right instead of half *** it like they did with the last V8. I don't recall the 2nd gen GS 400/430's doing all that poorly in sales, at least it didn't seem so around here based on seeing them pretty regularly.

SW17LS

The second gen was sold in a different time. Economy was booming, gas was cheap, V8 sales have fallen off dramatically since then.